Introduction

Overview of Islam

Islam is one of the largest religions in the world, with over 1.9 billion followers. It was founded in the early 7th century CE by the prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that Islam was revealed to Muhammad by God over a period of 23 years, and during this time, Muhammad recited the verses that were later compiled into the Quran. Islam teaches that there is only one God (Allah), and that Muhammad is His final prophet. The religion is based on five pillars – testimony of faith, prayer, charity, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca. Alongside the Quran, the teachings and traditions of Muhammad, known as the Sunnah, are also an important aspect of the Islamic faith.

Importance of Islamic books

In Islam, books containing the teachings of the religion hold a very significant status. Several books documenting the words and actions of Prophet Muhammad are considered essential within the religion. These books help provide guidance to Muslims on how to conduct their lives according to the principles of Islam. They cover important topics like Islamic jurisprudence, the sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, and the verification and collection of hadiths (records of Muhammad’s words and actions). Four books in particular are regarded as the most authentic and influential by Islamic scholars.

The 4 Famous Books in Islam

The Quran

Origin and significance

The Quran is considered the most sacred book in Islam. Muslims believe it contains the literal words of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad between 610 and 632 AD. It was originally written in Arabic. The Quran provides guidance on all aspects of human life, including beliefs, morality, worship, rituals, and social behavior. It is divided into 114 chapters called surahs. Committing the Quran to memory is considered a pious act by Muslims. It is also recited during worship. The Quran is the primary source of Islamic law and theology.

Key teachings

Some of the key themes and principles covered in the Quran include:

• The oneness and supremacy of God (Tawhid)
• Prophethood and revelation
• Angles of God
• Previous prophets like Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus
• Life after death and the day of judgement
• Prescribed morals and values like charity, justice, honesty
• The five pillars of Islam – declaration of faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage

Sahih al-Bukhari

About the author – Muhammad al-Bukhari

Sahih al-Bukhari is one of the most authoritative books on hadiths – records of Prophet Muhammad’s sayings and actions. It was compiled by Muhammad al-Bukhari (810 – 870 CE), who was a prominent Islamic scholar from Bukhara in Central Asia. He spent 16 years traveling to collect over 600,000 authentic hadiths, which he examined rigorously for accuracy. Out of these, he compiled about 2,602 hadiths that passed verification tests into his Sahih al-Bukhari.

Overview and significance

Sahih al-Bukhari covers the interpretation of the Quran, Islamic jurisprudence, and life and practices during the time of Muhammad. It is considered the most authentic collection of hadiths, and second only to the Quran in importance among Islamic theological works. Along with the Quran, it is a highly influential text that guides Muslims on religious matters and law. Many Islamic scholars believe Sahih al-Bukhari to be the most authentic book after the Quran.

Sahih Muslim

About the author – Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj

Sahih Muslim was compiled by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (817-875 CE), another eminent Islamic scholar from Nishapur. He was a student of Muhammad al-Bukhari and traveled extensively through modern-day Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt to collect and verify hadiths.

Overview and key themes

Sahih Muslim includes over 30,000 hadiths compiled across 55 books. The collection is considered the second most authentic hadith compilation after Sahih al-Bukhari. It covers core aspects of Islam like faith, prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, marriage laws, trade laws, inheritance, politics, and manners. An important aspect of this book is its detailed chapters on the Day of Resurrection. Sahih Muslim provides guidance on the Islamic way of life and clarification on issues not explicitly covered in the Quran.

Sunan Abu Dawood

About the author – Abu Dawood

Sunan Abu Dawood was compiled by Abu Dawood (817 – 889 CE), who was a prominent scholar in Islamic jurisprudence from Sistan. He studied under eminent teachers like Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and traveled through major cities like Baghdad, Basra, and Kufa to collect hadiths.

Overview and purpose

Out of over 500,000 hadiths he came across during his travels, Abu Dawood chose about 4,800 hadiths that were most relevant from a legal perspective for his book. Sunan Abu Dawood covers five major areas – laws of purification, prayer, marriage, commerce, and etiquette. The purpose of this book was to provide Muslims a manual of reliable hadiths that could aid Islamic jurisprudence. While Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim focused on authenticity of hadiths, Abu Dawood’s criteria was to select actionable and legal hadiths, making his compilation unique. Sunan Abu Dawood is considered one of the six major hadith books in Sunni Islam.

Why These Books Are Important

Primary sources of Islamic teachings

The Quran and the four hadith books – Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, and other major hadith compilations – are some of the most authoritative texts in Islam after the Quran. They provide original documentation of the prophet Muhammad’s life, acts, teachings, and Islamic law. For any guidance on Islamic belief or practice, Muslims rely first on the Quran, and then on these hadith books which complement the Quran. They are primary sources on the Islamic way of life for Muslims all over the world.

Guidance for Muslim life

Muslims consider these books as manuals for how to live their lives in accordance with Islamic principles. These texts guide Muslims on aspects like faith, worship practices, marriage, transactions, inheritance, moral conduct, and social relations. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim are referred to as al-Sihah al-Sittah or ‘The Authentic Six’, signifying their unparalleled importance in providing guidance within Islam after the Quran.

Preservation of Muhammad’s teachings

The authors of these books took great care to collect, verify, and record the hadiths on Muhammad’s life and teachings. Their meticulous compilation and documentation ensured that the knowledge and wisdom of the last prophet of Islam was compiled into books and preserved for posterity. These texts allow Muslims from all times and places to know and follow Prophet Muhammad’s example. They are a lasting testament to his way of life and the principles he preached through his actions and words.

Conclusion

The Quran and the four major hadith collections – Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, and others – are integral religious texts in Islam. They contain Allah and Prophet Muhammad’s divine wisdom which guides Muslims on all aspects of righteous living. These books explain Islamic beliefs, law, and practices in great detail, allowing Muslims to follow Islam fully. They were compiled and documented with utmost care by Islamic scholars to preserve and pass down Prophet Muhammad’s legacy. These four texts will continue to play a fundamental role in the religious life of Muslims across the world.

FAQs

FAQ 1: Who wrote the Quran?

The Quran is believed by Muslims to be the direct word of God (Allah) as revealed to Prophet Muhammad between 610 and 632 AD. According to Islamic beliefs, the angel Gabriel transmitted the verses of the Quran to Muhammad verbally over this 23-year period. Muhammad memorized the verses and recited them to his followers. The verses were also recorded on different materials like bone, animal skin, and paper. After Muhammad’s death, the first caliph Abu Bakr ordered the compilation of the Quran into one book.

FAQ 2: What language is the Quran originally written in?

The Quran was originally revealed to Prophet Muhammad in Arabic. Arabic is considered a sacred language in Islam, and Muslims believe the Quran cannot be truly translated but only interpreted. The Arabic text of the Quran has remained unchanged since its compilation. However, the Quran has been translated extensively to different languages for non-Arabic readers.

FAQ 3: How is Sahih al-Bukhari organized?

Sahih al-Bukhari contains over 7,500 hadiths divided into 97 books. The books are organized by topic into chapters, with each chapter containing multiple hadiths related to that topic. Some of the major book topics include Revelation, Belief, Knowledge, Times of Prayers, Pilgrimage, Interpretation of Dreams, Foods, Marriage, Hunting,Medicine, Watering, Dress, Characteristics of Prayer, Paradise, Exegesis of the Quran, and more.

FAQ 4: How many hadiths are included in Sahih Muslim?

Sahih Muslim contains over 30,000 verified hadiths compiled across 55 books. Some of the major topics covered in books include Faith, Purification, Prayer, Funerals, Taxes, Pilgrimage, Trade Laws, Inheritance Laws, Marriage, Divorce, Food, Oaths, Hunting, Sacrifices, Crimes, Judgment, Paradise, and Hell.

FAQ 5: What is unique about Sunan Abu Dawood?

Unlike other major hadith books which focused on authenticity of narrations, Sunan Abu Dawood chose hadiths that had legal importance for practising Islam. Out of 500,000 hadiths, only 4,800 hadiths were chosen and compiled into various books on specific topics of Islamic jurisprudence. This makes Sunan Abu Dawood a unique and important manual for understanding Islamic law.